Computing-scale.



N0. s5|,ao|. Patented June 12, I900. H. c. HERB.

COMPUTING SCALE.

(Application filed Mar. 20, 1899.";

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES: %//Z@ f w i A TOR/V5) THE NORRIS PETERS co., FHDTO-LITNQ, WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. HERE, OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE HURON MACHINE WORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

COMPUTING-SCALE.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,801, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed March 20, 1899. Serial No. 709,748. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY O. HERR,a citizen of the United States, residing at Port Huron, in the county of St. Clair and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Computing-Scales, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved computingscale in which a weighing-platform is maintained in a normally-raised position and connected through a system of levers to a vertical shaft having a weight-indicator and a device provided with a plurality of price-indicating characters arranged in horizon tal rows,

one row above the other, a plurality of characters being arranged in a vertical row upon the protecting case or cover of the price-indicating device, which indicates different prices per pound, each character upon the case being horizontally opposite the corresponding row of characters upon the price-indicating device, so that the placing of an article or package upon the weighing-platform will depress the same and move the system of levers to rotate or partially rotate the vertical shaft, the weight-indicator, and the price-indicatin g device to show the weight of the article or package and expose a series of price-indicating characters opposite the characters upon 0 the case indicating the price per pound, by which the price of the article or package can be easilyand accuratelyascertained by glancing at the price-indicating character horizontally opposite the character upon the case indicating the price per pound of the article or package.

The invention also relates to certain details of construction, all of which will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed,

1,0 reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the scale. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on or about line a a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on or about line b b, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a detached side elevation of the price-indicating cone. Fig. 5 represents a detached side elevation of the price-indicating cone and its protecting-shield. Fig. 6 is a detached top plan view of the lower circular supporting-frame of the price-indicating cone. Fig. 7is a vertical section through said circular frame. Fig.

8 is an enlarged detached view, partly in section,of one of the bearings. Fig. 9 is a detached side elevation of one of the hardened bearingplugs. Fig. 10 is an end view of one of the plugs. Fig. 11 is an enlarged detached edge elevation of the ad j listing-levers for varying the position of the rack to lengthen or shorten its stroke. Fig. 12 is an enlarged detached side elevation of the ad j usting-levers. Fig.

13 is a top plan View of the improved scale with a package upon its weighing-platform and the indicator turned to represent the weight of the package upon the platform. Fig. 14: is a side elevation of the scale in the position shown in Fig. 13, portions being broken away to expose the interior mechanism. Fig.

15 represents an enlarged detached top plan view of the price-indicating cone. Fig. 16 represents an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the price-indicating cone and its case or shield to illustrate the preferred construction of this part of myinvention. Fig. 17

is an enlarged detached side elevation of the spring-tensioning screw.

In referring to the accompanying drawings for the details of construction, in which is represented a preferred adaptation of my i11- vention, like numerals represent like parts.

The inclosing and supporting case of the scale is preferably of a rectangular form, having a bottom 1, sides 2, ends 3, and top 4, which are secured together by screws 5 or other suitable fastening means. A skeleton frame 6 is secured within the case, from which is supported the weighing and computing mechanism. The weighing-platform 7 is mounted upon a vertical standard 8, which projects through an opening in the top 4. of the case into rigid connection with a horizontal portion 9. Bods 10 extend downward from the ends of this portion 9 and connect with a portion 11, to which the lower end of the spring 12 is connected. The upper portion of the 5 spring 12 is rigidly connected to a screw 13, which projects through the top of the case and has an adj usting-nut 14 for vertically adj usting the screw to regulate the tension of the spring. Thehorizontal arm orportion 9is also I00 provided at its ends with laterally-projecting ears or lugs 15, between which the cross-bar 16 is pivotally mounted.

The preferred construction for the bearin gs for pivotally maintaining the bar 16 in position is shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, in which screws 17, having cone-shaped ends 18, pass through the ears 15 and seat in the corresponding cone-shaped depressions 19 in the hardened plugs 20, which are fitted into openings in the ends of the cross-bar 16. A lock-nut 21 is placed upon each screw 17 to lock the same in its adjusted position. Levers 22 extend at substantially right angles from each end of the cross-bar 16 and are rigidly connected to a rotating bar 23, which is journaled in the skeleton frame 6. An extensible connection composed of an arm 24, having a 1ongitudinal slot 25, and an arm 26, which is fastened to the arm 24 by screws 27, which pass through the slot, is rigidly fastened at one end to the bar 23 and pivotally attached at the opposite end to a toothed rack-bar 28. The opposite end of the rack-bar 28 is pivotally connected to a similar extensible extension, which swings from an extension 29 of the frame 6.

To prevent the swaying of the weighingplatform 7, a lower pair of levers 30 are pivotally attached at one end to the portion 11 and connected at the opposite end by a screwbar 31, which is journaled in the frame 6. A vertical shaft 32 is rotatably mounted in the supporting skeleton frame 6, and its lower end is supported upon a cone-bearing 33, the detail construction of which is similar to that shown in Fig. 8 and which also affords means for vertically adjusting the shaft. A pinion 34 is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 32 and is adjusted to mesh with the teeth on the rack-bar 28. It will be perceived by reference to Figs. 2 and 14 that this pinion is formed slightly wider than the rack-bar to allow vertical adjustment without disengaging the pinion from the toothed rack. A cone 35, of paper or other suitable material, having a series of horizontally-en circling rows of priceindicating numerals 36 and a plurality of small circles 36, having four vertical bars 36 interposed between them, is rigidly fastened to the shaft by means of the upper and lower circular frames 37.

The top 4 of the case is provided with a circular opening, and an outer cone-shaped shield 38 is attached to said top above said opening by the screws 39 and serves to protect the cone 35. A series of slots or openings 40 are cut in the shield, through which the numerals 36 are exposed, and a series of numerals 41, which serve to indicate various prices per pound, are arranged upon one side of these slots or openings in the shield, each numeral upon the shield being horizontally opposite one of the horizontallyencircling rows of price-indicating numerals upon the cone 35. The slots or openings 40 are separated by horizontal cross-pieces 46 in the center of each, and projecting upward is an indicator-point 47, (see Figs. 5 and 16,) the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.

A circular case 42 is mounted upon the top of the case, in which is placed a weight-indicating dial 43, and an indicating-hand 44 is rigidly attached to the upper end of the shaft 32, which projects through the center of the bottom of the circular case and dial. A series of suitable numerals 45 are arranged in a circle upon the dial, the numerals 1 to 0 being employed in the drawings to illustrate this portion of my invention, and the numerals 36 upon the cone 35 and the numerals 41 upon the shield are so arranged to correspond that the weight and price of an article can be instantly ascertained by referring to the dial and then to the numeral exposed through the slot which is horizontally opposite the numeral indicating the price per pound of the article upon the shield. This will be clearly understood by referring to Fig. 13, in which an article weighing five pounds has been placed upon the platform, as shown by the indicating-hand upon the dial, and the price of the article, should it be valued at nine cents per pound, will be seen to be 45 cents by noting the numeral exposed through the slot horizontally opposite the numeral 9 upon the shield.

It will be noticed by referring to the numerals 45 on the weigl'it-indicating dial (see Figs. 1 and 13) that it will require ten pounds weight upon the platform 7 to force the shaft 32, carrying the indicating-hand 44 and the cone 35, to make one revolution.

Fig. 15 is a top plan view of the cone 35, which has a plurality of numerals 36 thereon and a plurality of small circles 36, having several series of four short vertical bars 36 interposed between them. These numerals, bars, and circles horizontally encircle the cone 35 in several parallel rows and divide the periphery of the cone at each row into equal spaces. By this arrangement the small circles 36 areinterposed between each series of four vertical bars, in each row encircling the cone, that causes five spaces to exist between the circles, separated by the vertical bars. The numerals 36 are placed in rows directly over the circles 36, in the respective rows, as shown by Figs. 4, 5, 15, and 16, and indicate the number of vertical bars and circles in the several rows encircling the cone. These numerals are expressed in numbers divisible by five.

WVhen the scale is balanced, the indicatinghand 44 stands at naught and the indicatingpoint 47 at the circles 36 on the cone 35 (see Fig. 1) and over which is the highest number of each series of numerals placed on the cone 35 and in each respective row. These numbers indicate the number of circles and bars in each row and are equal to the numerals 41 horizontally opposite multiplied by ten, (see Fig. 5,) by which it will be observed that the sinallest number of circles and bars are in the first row encircling the top of the cone at its smallestcircumference. Byplacinga weight on the platform 7 the cone 35 is forced to move from right to left, and as it moves the circles 36 and the vertical bars 36 pass by the indicating-point 47. These circles and bars are so placed as to each represent the value of one cent in their respective rows.

The weighing of the scale, it incorrect, can be easily and quickly adjusted by regulating the tension of the spring, and the mechanism can be adjusted by means of the extensible connection between the levers and rack-bar, so that the movement of the weighing-scale when ten pounds is placed on the platform will give the vertical shaft one entire revolution.

The operation of this weighing device is as follows: The article or package of which it is desired to ascertain the weight and price is placed upon the weighing-platform, thereby depressing the platform, moving the system of levers and through them the rack-bar which rotates or partially rotates the vertical shaft, and moves the indicator-hand to indicate the weight upon the dial and the priceindicating cone to expose a series of numerals through the slot in the shield, from which the price can be instantly noted, as heretofore described, by referring to the price-perpound-indicating numerals upon the shield at the side of the slot and glancing at the numeral in the series exposed through the slot horizontally opposite the numeral indicating the price per pound of the article or package. When the cone 35 comes to a standstill, the indicator-point 47 either points to a circle 36, over which is the numeral 36, or to a vertical bar 36 as shown by Figs. 5 and 13. If it points to a circle 36, the numeral above it is the value of the article weighed; but if it points to a vertical bar 36 the value is obtained by adding to the numeral shown at the left of the indicator-point 47 the number of spaces between the indicator-point and the circle over which the numeral is placed, this sum being the exact value in cents, or by subtracting the number of spaces between the indicator-point and the circle on the right of the indicator-point from the numeral over the circle. This will also give the true value in cents.

A top cover 40, of glass or similar transparent material, is placed over the dial 43 (see Fig. 2) to protect it from dust, the.

I claim as my invention 1. A computing-scale comprising a rectangular inclosing case provided with two openings in its top, a weighingplatform mounted above said case and having its supportingstandard passing through one of said openings, a vertical shaft passing through the larger of said openings with its lower end rotatably mounted in said case, a device provided with a series of peripherally-arranged price-indicating numerals rigidly mounted upon said shaft and projecting through the larger opening, a weight-indicating device supported upon said shaft above the priceindicator, a system of levers operatively connecting said weighing-platform to said shaft, a vertical rod depending downward from the top of the inclosing case, a spring supported on said rod and having connection with the system of levers to normally maintain the Weighingplatform in an elevated position, and an inclosing device mounted upon the case over the larger opening and inclosing the price-indicating device and having a top dial portion arranged beneath the Weight-indicatin g device.

2. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, a weighing-platform mounted in said case upon a vertical standard, a vertical rod extending into said case and having a top thumb-screw for adj ustment,a spring for normally retaining said platform in an elevated position attached to said rod, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in said case, a price-indicating device rigidly mounted upon said shaft, a weight-indicatin g device also mounted upon said shaft, devices operatively connecting the shaft to the weighing platform standard, means for adjusting said devices to vary the extent of rotation of the shaft relative to the depression of the platform, to provide for regulating the scale and an arm extending from the Weighing-platform standard to the spring-supporting rod, as set forth.

3. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, a skeleton frame mounted in said case, a weighing-platform, a rod mounted in the inclosing case, a spring for normally retaining said platform in an elevated position supported upon said rod, a device for adj usting said rod for tensioning said spring, a vertical shaft mounted in said frame, a priceindicating device rigidly mounted upon said shaft, a weight-indicating device also mounted on said shaft, a pinion upon the shaft, a rack bar having teeth mesh-ing with said pinion, and connections between the rack-bar and weighing-platform, as set forth.

4. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, a weighing-platform mounted in said case, means for normally retaining said platform in an elevated position, a price-indicating device, and a weight-indicating device mounted on a shaft, a pinion upon the shaft, a rack-bar having teeth meshing with the pinion, a system of levers connected to the weighing-platform, and an extensible connection between the levers and rack-bar to permit vertical adjustment of the rack bar to lengthen or shorten its stroke, as set forth.

5. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, having two openings in its top, one larger than the other, a weighing-platform mounted upon said case With its standard projecting through the smaller opening, a vertical shaft journaled in said case with its upper end extending upward through the larger opening, a price-indicating device mounted upon the shaft and above the case-top, mechanism connecting the shaft to the weighingplatform to rotate said shaft, upon the depressing of the weighing-platform by an article thereon to indicate the value, means for varying the position of said connecting mechanism to vary the extent of rotation of said shaft relative to a given depression of the weighing-platform and a protecting-shield over said price-indicating mechanism, as set forth.

6. A computing-scale comprising an in closing case, a weighing platform supported above said case and having a vertical standard projecting into said case, means for normally retaining said platform in an elevated position, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in the case and having its upper portion projecting above the topof theinclosing case, a priceindicating device and a weight-indicating device mounted upon the upper portion of said shaft, mechanism controlling the rotation of said shaft, a system of lever connections between said controlling mechanism and the weighing-platform, and means for adjusting said controlling mechanism relatively to said lever connections to vary the range of movement given to the shaft upon the depression of the weighingplatform, as set forth.

7. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, a weighing-platform mounted above said inclosing case, a spring for maintaining said platform normally in a raised position, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in the inclosing case with its upper portion extending above the top, a cone device rigidly attached to the upper portion of said shaft and having a plurality of price-indicating characters arranged in rows horizontally encircling the cone and one row above the other, a protecting-shield forming a portion of the inclosing case arranged over said cone and having a side slot through which one character of each row on the cone is exposed and a top opening through which the upper end of the shaft extends, a weight-indicator rigidly fastened to the vertical shaft above the shield, a weightindicating dial supported upon the top of the shield, a pinion upon the lower part of the shaft, a rack-bar having teeth meshing with the pinion, and a system of levers connecting the rack-bar to the weighing-platform, as set forth.

8. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, having a small top opening and a larger circular top opening, a weighing-platform mounted in said inclosing case with its standard extending through the small top opening, a rod secured to the top of the inclosing case and depending downwardly within said case, a spring attached to said rod for maintaining said platform normally in a raised position, a vertical shaft mounted in the inclosing case and extending upwardly through the larger circular opening, a cone device rigidly attached to said shaft above the case and having a plurality of price-indicating characters arranged in rows horizontally choircling the cone and one row above the other, a conical protecting-shield arranged above the larger circular top opening and forming a portion of the inclosing case inclosing said cone and having a side slot through which one character of each row on the cone is exposed, and a top opening through which the upper end of the shaft extends, a weight-indicating dial supported upon the top of the shield, a weight-indicator rigidly fastened to the vertical shaft above the dial and an in closing device over said dial and indicator, mechanism for rotating the vertical shaft and a system of levers connecting the rotating mechanism to the weighing-platform, and having connection with the platform-support ing spring, as set forth.

9. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, a skeleton frame mounted within said case,a Weighing-platform having a standard projecting through the top of said inclosing case, upper and lower horizontal crossbars attached to the standard and having ears or lugs at their ends, an upper and lower pair of levers having transverse connections at one end journaled between the ears of the cross-bars, and transverse connections at the opposite end journaled in the skeleton frame, an upper rod extending from the rear trans verse connection of the upper pair of levers and having a longitudinal slot, a lower rod adjustably connected to said slotted rod by screws passing through the slot, a toothed rack-bar pivotally attached atone end to the lower rod, a second upper rod pivoted to the skeleton frame and having a longitudinal slot, a lower rod adj ustably connected to said second rod by screws passing through the slot, and pivoted to the opposite end of the rack-bar, and a Vertical shaft having priceindicating mechanism journaled in the case and having a pinion meshing with the toothed rack-bar, as set forth.

10.;A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case havinga circular top opening, a weighing-platform mounted above said case, a spring-supporting rod within said case, a spring attached to and supported on said rod, a vertical shaft mounted in the inclosin g case with the upper end extending through the top opening, a cone device rigidly attached to the upper end of said shaft and having aplurality of price indicating characters arranged in rows horizontally encircling the cone and one row above the other, a conical protectingshield mounted above the circular top opening and forming a portion of the inclosing case arranged over said cone and having a side slot through which one character of each row on the cone is exposed, and a top opening through which the upper end of the shaft extends, a circular case mounted upon the top of the shield having a glass top, a weightindicating dial in said case, an indicatinghand secured to the upper portion of the vertical shaft and arranged over the dial, a pin- IIO ion upon the lower part of the shaft, a rack bar meshing with the pinion, and a system of levers connecting the rack-bar to the weighing-platform and having an extension connected to the spring, as set forth.

11. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case,a skeleton frame mounted Within said case, a weighing-platform havingastandard projecting through the top of said inclosing case, horizontal bars attached to the standard and having ears or lugs at their ends, levers having connections at one end journaled between the ears of said bars, and connections at the opposite end journaled in the skeleton frame, an upper rod extending from the rear of one of said connections, a lower rod adj ustably connected to said upper rod, a toothed rack-barpivotally attached at one end to said lower rod, a second upper rod pivoted to the skeleton frame, a lower rod adjustably connected to said second upper rod and pivoted to the opposite end of the rackbar, and a vertical shaft having price-indicating mechanism journaled in the case and having a pinion meshing with the toothed rack-bar, as set forth.

12. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, a weighing-platform mounted in said case and normally held in an elevated position, a shaft journaled in the case, a cone mounted upon said shaft and having a plurality of price-indicating numerals or characters arranged in horizontally-encircling rows, one above the other, a circle beneath each numeral, and an equal series of bars between the circles of adjacent numerals of each row, a protecting-shield placed over said cone having a series of slots equal in number to the rows of price-indicating characters upon the cone and having indicators upon the horizontal bars separating the slots and a series of price per pound indicating characters arranged upon one side of said slots, and mechanism connecting said platform to said shaft, whereby the exact price of an article placed upon the platform if over or under a pound or pounds can be ascertained by adding the number of spaces between the indicator and the circle on the left to the price-indicating character above said circle or subtracting the number of spaces between the circle on the right and the indicator from the price-indicating character above said circle upon the left, as set forth.

13. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, a skeleton frame mounted within said case, a weighing-platform having a standard projecting through the top of said inclosin g case,horizontal bars attached to the stand ard and having ears or lugs at their ends, levers having connections at one end journaled between the ears of said bars, and connections at the opposite end jonrnaled in the skeleton frame, an upper rod extending from the rear of one of said connections, a lower rod adjustably connected to said upper rod, a toothed rack-bar pivotally attached at one end to said lower rod, a second upper rod pivoted to the skeleton frame, a lower rod adjustably connected to said second upper rod and pivoted to the opposite end of the rackbar, a vertical shaft having price-indicating mechanism journaled in the case and having a pinion meshing with the toothed rack-bar, a vertical rod mounted in'the case, a spring supported upon said rod, and a connection between said rod and the Weighing-platform standard, as set forth.

14. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case having two openings at its top, one larger than the other, a weighing-platform having a vertical standard passing through the smaller opening, a shaft journaled in the case With its upper end projecting through the larger opening, a cone mounted upon said shaft extending above the inclosing case and having a plurality of price-indicating numerals or characters arranged in horizontallyencircling rows one above the other, a conical protecting-shield placed above the larger opening through the case and over said cone having a series of slots equal in number to the rows of price-indicating characters upon the cone and a series of price-per-pound-indicating characters arranged upon one side of said slots, mechanism operatively connecting said platform to said shaft, a rod within the case, a spring attached to and supported upon said rod and having connection with the platform for normally maintaining it in an elevated position, as set forth.

15. A computing-scale comprising an in closing case having two openings in its top, one larger than the other, a weighing-platform having a vertical standard passing through the smaller opening, a shaft journaled in the case with its upper end projecting through the larger opening, a cone mounted upon said shaft extending above the inclosing case and having a plurality of price-indicating numerals or characters arranged in horizontallyencircling rows one above the other, a conical protecting-shield placed above the larger opening through the case and over said cone having a series of slots equal in number to the rows of price-indicating characters upon the cone and a series of price-per-pound-indicating characters arranged upon one side of said slots, mechanism operatively connecting said platform to said shaft, a rod within the case, a spring attached to and supported upon said rod and having connection with the platform for normally maintaining it in an elevated position and means for adjusting said rod to vary the tension of the spring, as set forth.

16. A computing-scale comprising an inclosing case, a Weighing-platform mounted in said case upon a vertical standard, a vertical rod extending into said case, a spring for normally retaining said platform in an elevated position attached to said rod, means for adjusting said rod to regulate the tension of the spring, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in said case, a priceindicating device rigidly mounted upon said shaft, a weight-indieating device also mounted upon said shaft, devices operatively connecting the shaft to the weighing-platform standard, means for adjusting said devices to vary the extent of rotation of the shaft relative to the depression of the platform, to provide for regulating the scale and an arm extending from the Weighing-platform standard to the spring- 10 supporting red, as set forth.

' HENRY O. HERE.

Witnesses:

JOHN HERB, FRED G. VVEBSTER. 

